Abstract: A shale shaker or the like comprises a hollow body having an inlet and an outlet. A screen is mounted generally horizontally in the hollow body between the inlet and the outlet. A motive assembly is operatively connected to the screen for repetitively moving the screen. At least one generally horizontal tube is connected to the screen for movement therewith. A solid weight freely movable longitudinally in the tube automatically adjusts the center of gravity of the attached screen.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of coal particles having a maximum dimension of less than 2 mm from coal tailings including the steps of forming a slurry (101) of tailings having a pulp density of from 10 to 30% by weight; feeding the slurry into a hydrocyclone (103) to produce an underflow second stream which contains the tailing particles over a predetermined size and some of the gangue particles smaller than that size and an overflow stream containing the coal particles smaller than the predetermined size and the balance of the gangue particles, the hydrocyclone (103) being operated such that the underflow stream has a pulp density of from 40% to 60% by weight; adjusting the pulp density of the second stream, if required, to from 20 to 50% by weight; passing the repulped second stream over a rapped or vibrated sieve screen deck (105) having a wedge wire sieve screen with a radius of less than 2 m, an arc angle of from 45.degree. to 60.degree.

Abstract: A combination unbalanced load and lid switch assembly for an automatic washing machine. A switch is mounted to the side wall of a box-like housing with a spring clip that has a pair of legs extending through horizontal holes in the switch. The switch housing has a diagonally extending horizontal flange with a downwardly extending pivot portion to which is pivotally mounted a lid lever. One end of the lid lever has an actuator arm which extends in aligment to a wire extension of the lid hinge that moves upwardly as the lid is being closed to push the actuator arm upwardly. A substantially vertical unbalanced load lever is pivotally connected to the opposite end of the lid lever and is pulled downwardly against a biasing spring as the lid is closed. The unbalanced load lever has an actuating finger that depresses the plunger of the switch thereby enabling the washer motor when the lid is closed. The unbalanced load lever also has a downward leg that is engagable by the tub during an out-of-balance excursion.

Abstract: According to a method of balancing a container (10) which is rotating about an essentially horizontal axis, preferably a washing machine drum, the container is provided with cavities (15) evenly distributed along the periphery thereof and having openings (20) via which selectively liquid can be introduced in the respective cavity. A sensor (24) is provided for sensing vibrations caused by the rotation of the container and for emitting an electrical signal the magnitude of which is a measure of the magnitude of the vibrations. The container (10) is brought to rotate at a first rotational speed and the sensor signal is read. A predetermined amount of liquid is introduced in a randomly selected cavity (15) along the periphery of the drum.

Abstract: An oscillatory support for drum washing machines having a horizontal axis of rotation comprises a washer unit (1) supported on a base plate (4) via at least two spring struts (2) disposed at either side of the vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation. The spring struts (2) are elastically articulated at one end on the base plate (4) and on the other end are articulated with their respective tappets (13) on the washer unit (1). In order to provide support means which are simple in design and easily mounted and which have good oscillatory and damping properties, the spring struts (2) are articulated at both ends by means of a plug connection to the base plate (4) and the washer unit (1), respectively.

Abstract: A disk shaped cassette for centrifugal fluid separation, particularly blood separation, and a drive system for high speed rotation of the cassette. The cassette is driven at speeds which permit very rapid separation of the blood in times on the order of seven (7) to twenty (20) seconds by an automated control. The cassette is supported by a flexible support coupling and mounting system that permits the entire rotating mass to spin about the center of mass unique to the particular cassette as filled. The cassette typically includes a peripheral collection chamber which may be either annular, lobed or channel shaped. A cassette enabled to hold plural separation tubes is also shown. A gel can be placed in the cassette with a density between the fluid components to be separated and after centrifuging maintains the component separation that centrifuging creates.

Abstract: A device for detecting the unbalance of a rotating machine from a predetermined threshold. This device includes a pendulum formed from a vertical rod made of an elastically deformable metal, the upper end of which is embedded in an insulating support fixed rigidly to the housing of the rotating machine and which at its lower end carries a metallic mass, the mass being received concentrically, with a predetermined peripheral play, within a metal rink likewise fixed to the housing and insulated electrically from the housing, the ring and the embedded end of the pendulum being connected electrically to an electrical alarm or safety circuit which closes as soon as the mass comes in contact with the ring, where the resonance frequency of the pendulum is below that of the parts of the rotating machine which is subjected to the unbalanced condition.

Abstract: A neutralizer ring for dynamically balancing a gimbal-mounted overhung centrifuge, wherein the neutralizer ring must have a particular mass and location in accordance with the parameters of a given system and a method for determining the mass and location of said system by iterative manipulation of the mass and location.

Abstract: A system is provided for the separation of oil from oily water, particularly where the oily water is available only at relatively low pressures insufficient to drive a hydrocyclone separator. Particular combinations of pumps and hydrocyclones can be effective in these low pressure situations where the pressure boost required is not substantially greater than a differential pressure at which the pump begins to substantially degrade the volumetric mean size of droplets of oil in the oily water passing therethrough. This is achieved by operating the pump at relatively near its maximum flow rate capacity to substantially reduce on a percentage basis the effect of fluid slippage within the pump. Improved techniques for analysis of oil droplet size distribution are also disclosed.

Abstract: A batch-type centrifugal system utilizes a gimbal-like suspension at the end of a rotating shaft distal an attached bowl at the other end of the shaft. The shaft rotates within an elongated bearing which is supported proximal the bowl by a support which is selectively variable in resiliency. This variation in resiliency changes the natural radial frequency of the system whereby operation of the system at rotational speeds which correspond to the natural radial frequency may be minimized, thereby effecting smooth loading, drying, and unloading operations.

Abstract: A drum defining a center axis is journalled from a support for rotation about its center axis through the utilization of resilient means permitting the axis and drum to gyrate about a center position of the axis responsive to dynamic imbalance of the drum during rotation thereof. The drum includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced liquid-passing openings and a plurality of liquid receptacles are mounted from the drum for receiving liquid therein from the openings. The receptacles are mounted from the drum for shifting between liquid retaining positions and liquid dumping positions and stationary receptacle position shifting structure is mounted from the support and the receptacles are mounted on the drum for normal disposition in either the liquid receiving positions or the liquid dumping positions.

Abstract: Accurate, contact-free measurement, outside the processing area, of the quantity of solid material in a centrifuge cylinder used in reprocessing nuclear fuel solutions. A mechanical vibration system consisting of the centrifuge cylinder and of a supplemental mass attached to the cylinder produces torsional vibrations by, for example, increasing or decreasing the speed of the cylinder drive shaft. The frequency of the vibrations reflect the quantity of solid material in the cylinder. A sensor senses the frequency of the vibrations and sends signals to a means for computing the quantity of the load from the frequency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for balancing of out-of-balance forces in centrifuges or combined washing machines-spin driers comprising a drum with horizontal rotation axis initially being brought to a relatively low speed of rotation, which is at least of the magnitude such that all laundry clings to the drum wall. At this rotation speed the out-of-balance force is measured and compared with a set value. This set value is selected to be of such size that its out-of-balance force surpasses the permissible out-of-balance force, projected to the final rotary spinning speed, by at least 30 percent. If such a value surpassing the permissible out-of-balance force was measured as a value disposed below the set value, then the acceleration to the final rotary spinning speed is turned on.

Abstract: A belt type filter is disclosed in which a length of disposable filter sheet material is dispensed from a roll to extend through the interior space of a tank, over a pervious section of the tank bottom communicating with a collection chamber receiving filtered liquid from the tank after passing through the filter belt.The filter belt side edges extend within recesses along either side of its path through the tank interior space with an inflatable seal extending along each recess to secure and seal the edges thereof at all points below the level of liquid in the tank. The filter belt is periodically advanced to dispose a fresh section of filter over the collection chamber either manually or under automatic control sensing the vacuum generated by a circulating pump connected to the collection chamber.

Abstract: A combination lid and excursion switch and alarm for automatic washers is provided in which the opening of the lid or excursion of the tub due to an imbalance in the load during the spin cycle causes an interruption of power to the washer motor. An imbalance in the load would also sound an audible signal. The switching mechanism is automatically reset by the opening and reclosing of the lid.

Abstract: A balancer for use in a centrifugal rotary machine comprises an annular casing having inside an annular receiving chamber and equipped to the rotary tub coaxially therewith. A low-viscous operating liquid is sealed into the annular receiving chamber so as to be flowable in the circumferential direction of the chamber. The operating liquid flows, as the rotary tub rotates, to the side opposite to that on which the unbalanced load of the rotary tub is located absorb the unbalance of the rotary tub. A plurality of spherical weights are disposed circumferentially and movably in the annular receiving chamber and, as the rotary tub rotates, move to the side opposite to that on which the unbalanced load of the rotary tub is located to absorb the unbalance of the rotary tub.

Abstract: An automatic clothes washing appliance of the vertical axis type for a clothes washing operation having a plurality of cycles including wash and spin cycles incorporating a tub, a clothes receiving basket movably supported in the tub, means for distributing fill water to the articles received in the basket, and a drive motor which selectively drives the basket for a wash mode and a spin mode. The control system for the appliance includes an arrangement for detecting the existence of a basket out-of-balance condition in the spin mode and initiates a rebalance operation which includes means to measure the basket rotational speed during the spin mode and means responsive to detection of basket rotational speed being less than a predetermined normal balanced basket rotational speed at a predetermined time in the spin cycle to interrupt the spin cycle and to actuate a rebalance cycle and thereafter to resume the spin cycle.

Abstract: Samples to be analyzed, such as physiological fluids (blood, urine, etc.) may be processed using centrifugal techniques. The sample is centrifugally passed through a separation column to extract the desired component from the aqueous phase. Next, the extracted component is washed free of extraneous materials and then eluted from the separating column by centrifugally passing a suitable solvent therethrough. The aqueous phase and extracted components are collected in separate containers.To facilitate this method, an apparatus is provided that accommodates switching between fluid flow paths in a centrifuge. The centrifuge utilizes a swinging bucket rotor which contains a separating column, the top end of which employs a fluid reservoir for holding the sample to be extracted. Fluids are passed through the separating column (a first flow path) from a central distributor in the centrifuge rotor while in operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing vibration in a centrifugal separator comprising an upright electric motor supported by a resilient member from a machine casing and wherein excessive vibration of the motor is detected for opening an electric power circuit of the motor. A mercury type vibration sensitive element is employed in the detector and comprises a mercury contact in a metallic casing. The vibration sensitive element is attached to a resilient plate and is in pressure contact with a lateral surface of a casing of the motor.

Abstract: An out-of-balance and safety switch arrangement for a washing machine or the like device having a movable cover to control access to the clothes receiving tub, and wherein the tub is rotated rapidly to execute a centrifugal extraction cycle, includes a microswitch having an actuator normally biased to an extended position and depressible for energizing the drive motor for the tub and a switch actuator lever arm mounted adjacent the washing machine tub access cover for pivotal movement in first and second generally perpendicular planes with the lever arm being spring biased in the first plane for movement of the first end thereof into operative alignment with the switch actuator, the opposite end of the lever arm being positioned for engagement by the access cover upon closing the latter to move the first end of the lever arm in the second plane into engagement with the actuator for depression thereof.

Abstract: A solids-liquid separating centrifuge with bowl and conveyor members rotated about a common axis at a differential speed has means for sensing torsional vibration of at least one of the members about its axis and providing an output representative of the vibration amplitude, and signal means which provides an indicative signal when the output indicates vibration amplitude above a predetermined level. The indicative signal may operate an alarm, or an automated centrifuge throughput reducing system, or both.

Abstract: This invention relates to a balancing ring for a centrifugal extractor for a washing machine which consists of a hollow ring which contains a balancing liquid. The hollow ring is attached to the side wall of a spin basket and is provided with a plurality of partition boards attached alternately to the upper and lower walls of the ring respectively.

Abstract: A balancing device for a rotatable drum which may be eccentrically loaded and provided with containers for a balancing material. A control mechanism for the flow of balancing material includes a member capable of oscillating movement as a result of eccentric drum movement for diverting the flow.

Abstract: An automatic washing machine of the fresh water flow through, vertical axis, wobble type has a dynamic system which includes a single imperforate wash basket arranged for rotation and oscillation about its vertical axis and a diametrically opposed set of masses arranged for rotation about the same vertical axis. A hollow vertical shaft couples the rotatable wash basket and the rotatable mass system to a shifting nodal point, damped gyratory suspension system mounted upon the cabinet base. During the washing operation, the basket is prevented from rotation and oscillatory motion is transferred thereto as a result of the rotation of the system of masses. The system of masses is only slightly statically unbalanced but the members are vertically offset with respect to each other such that they form a dynamically unbalanced couple, the effect of vibration of which is to cause turnover and simultaneous circumverential tumbling of clothes placed within the wash basket.

Abstract: A rotary centrifugal machine, for example a centrifugal extractor for removing fluids from wet laundry loads, includes a basket rotatable within a casing. A load conveyor deposits material into the basket while the basket rotates at a relatively low speed. After loading, the speed of basket rotation is increased to subject material within the basket to centrifugal forces. Unloading of material from the basket is accomplished by lifting a movable wall from the bottom to the top of the basket during low speed rotation of the basket so that material lifted above the basket wall is centrifugally thrown outward from the basket. The casing and basket are suspended by pedestal assemblies and pneumatic biasing assemblies for damping and resisting lateral casing movement. A switch operated by casing movement senses load imbalance. Automatic redistribution of an unbalanced load is effected by unloading the material and reloading it in a distributed condition.